Cubs add infield depth with Descalso signing
The Chicago Cubs added to their infield depth Tuesday when they signed veteran Daniel Descalso to a two-year contract with a club option for a third.
The 32-year-old Descalso, who played the past two seasons for the Arizona Diamondbacks, gets $1.5 million next season and $2.5 million in 2020. The club option for 2021 is worth $3.5 million. If the Cubs don't exercise it, Descalso gets a $1 million buyout.
The Cubs have made it one of their priorities to add infield depth this off-season, especially with shortstop Addison Russell under a 40-gme suspension for violating terms of Major League Baseball's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.
This past season, the left-handed hitting Descalso put up a hitting line of .238/.353/.436 with 13 home runs and 57 RBI in 138 games. His .789 OPS was a career best. Descalso began his career in 2010 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He has a career line of .240/.324/.370 with 46 homers and 279 RBI.
In 2018, he played 52 games at second base, 37 games at third base, 11 games at first base and five games in left field.
The Cubs plan to open 2019 with Javier Baez at shortstop. Descalso will join a second-base mix that includes Ben Zobrist and David Bote. Ian Happ also can fill in at second.